It was reported by Babblemur the other day and although I should be surprised, I'm not. As it turns out, Jessica King actually does have aspirations for higher office. It was announced at the JFK dinner in Fond du lac by Peg Lautenschlager over the weekend that the Democrats are going to run King against Roessler for her State Senate seat.
Over the past couple of days I have trying to find the conversation in which Ms. King said that State Representatives don't make enough money to interest her. She stated that she makes more as a lawyer and wouldn't take the cut. Of course those weren't the exact statements but they are close. The conversation took place on the election threads of Oshkonversation during the election when rumors were active that she was using the council as a spring board to other offices. Why else would someone sink more than $7000 on an elected position that would only earn $4800 for the entire term? Unfortunately, Mr. Hummel did not archive the thread so the record of the response is gone. I can only hope that others recall the statement as well but I'm sure not counting on it.
I guess we can expect to see more of this in the next year. Senator Roessler has been in her seat for more than 20 years and if she runs for re-election, will make for a difficult campaign. Of course there are rumors that the Senator will retire after this term, but nothing has been confirmed. Ms. King will have her hands full if retirement is a rumor.
Either way, if she wins, she probably won't be able to fulfill her obligation to the voters by serving the remainder of her term on the Council. It isn't certain that will be the case but I don't see how anyone could maintain the schedule or whether a non-partisan official can hold a partisan office. That would be for the lawyers to figure out.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
19 comments:
This is awesome news! We can get rid of King on the council!! And she certainly won't beat Roessler.
She'll be out in the cold.
Great decision Jessica!
Holding two offices is hardly a new phenomenon. Bob Zieglebauer is both a state representative and the Manitowoc County Executive. State Sen. Alan Lasee ran for Brown County Executive last year. State Sen. Lena Taylor is also running for Milwaukee County Executive next year. State Rep. Pedro Colon is running for Milwaukee city attorney next year as well.
It happens.
Sorry jb, it won't happen here!
Yeah, but did any of those guys have a full time job on top of those other positions? Is King willing to quit her job if what she said was true about the pay?
Fix and repair the wagon and Let the horse rest.
NO GONNA HAPPEN!!!
First she's running, now she doesn't really know. That's great Jessica, your first decsion reagarding the position is indecision.
GOOD LUCK!
A few thoughts about the first budget workshop hearing at City Hall yesterday:
1- John Fitzpatrick seems to be cut out of the same cloth as all those at 215 Church Ave. – The state increased the levy limit so lets spend it!
2- Mr. Fitzpatrick dodges direct questions with all the finesse of a seasoned bureaucrat. When asked by Dennis McHugh if anyone would lose a job with the cuts as proposed, Johns dancing act would have placed him as a top contender for the “Dancing with the Stars” program. It took 3 direct attempts before Fitzpatrick admitted that the slots proposed for cuts were not occupied.
3- I credit Tony Palmeri for focusing on the fact that the budget, as discussed, accounts for only about 13% of the city operating expense. The remaining 87% is made up of wages and benefits. This line of concern was quickly dismissed by Mr. Fitzpatrick with the comment that the administration spends time on that. I would hope so!!
4- Ed Nokes made it very clear that healthcare costs would be increasing dramatically. The question is who will pay for these escalating costs? How will the costs be shared employee/employer?
5- We need a City Manager who is far more firm dealing with the cost distribution of our highest expense – labor wages and benefits. If we could get these costs under control, money would be available for many, many more quality of life projects which would make Oshkosh a much more attractive place to live and work. We need a better healthcare cost sharing plan in Oshkosh. The taxpayers simply pay too much for this city employee benefit.
I liked the part where Paul Esslinger got the Library guy to admit that there are 11 employess who work between 1/2 and 3/4 time and are receiving FULL TIME BENEFITS. I beleive Paul pointed out that this is costing the taxpayers $132,000 a year!
When will this insanity end?!?!?!?
Got him to admit?? This isn't a trial and the information's never been kept secret.
Something has to be done with these people and how they dole out our money to city labor. It appears that all these "Department Heads" want more people to increase the size of their domain, so they can justify even bigger wages for themselves.
This whole thing would make a perfect DILBERT cartoon!
OK, so Fitzpatrick has been at the job for two weeks and you lambaste him for not having all of the answers?
Wages and benefits are now out of the hands of anyone within the city administration. Those that have settled have contracts and we can't do anything about them. Those that haven't are awaiting arbitration and we can't do anything about those, either. Therefore, unless you want to lay people off, the topic of wages and benefits is moot. No one has any control over it.
If you want people to be laid off, contact city councilors and tell then which depts could stand the cuts. I am sure they want to hear from you.
Here we go AGAIN.
Regarding the library employees....
Let's have the city have more of its population that doesn't have any benefits. Yeah, that's the solution.
Oshkosh has a ton of 'industry' that pays mediocre wages and provides little in terms of benefits. It's the biggest problem facing this city. That is the reason Oshkosh is cheap. And the people who frequent these blogs think we need to push this idea even further!
So let's take some city employees and take their benefits away. Push them out to the curb, like the rest of the blue collar constituents who can't find an employer to pay squat in benefits. That's what Oshkosh needs. That's going to propel us forward.
If you want qualified city employees to provide the SERVICES that make up 87% of the operating budget, you're going to have to pay them. Just because you have a GED and access to a computer at the library and made 7 bucks an hour doesn't mean city employees should be in the same boat you are.
QUID PRO QUO
Paying these people who only work 20 hours a week over $1,000.00 a month just for healthcare coverage?!?!?!
Like Dennis said, that just plain SUCKS!
Headline in the NW today says Bemis is laying off. The darn city employees should get outta there damn cocoon and see the real world!
The to make matters worse Fitzpatrick and the Library Director are more worried about keeping the employee wages and bennies high than they are of how us taxpayers can afford to pay them.
The whole stinking mess of bureaucrats at city hall need a boot and we need a new crew that does what's right for us who pay the cost of those who work for the city.
Dennis and Paul you guys gotta keep leading the charge on this thing!!!
Great logic 8:25, using your logic, we should double the salary and benefits of our city employees to make things better.
Speaking of GED's........ Do you even have the equivalent?
Nope, the logic doesn't say we should pay double. The logic says pay the city employees what they're worth. For the most part, we do that. Yet there are these jealous folks out there who think it's too much. It IS appropriate for what they do, for the hours they work, and the education some of them have achieved. If you're jealous, apply. If you think you pay too much in taxes, ask to have some jobs cut. If you don't want city employees to pay the wages and benefits to city employees, stop paying taxes in this city (read: move somewhere else). Otherwise you're just plain out of luck.
You know what? Rather than move, I would suggest that our leaders start spending money a bit more resposibly. That means that part time employees should NOT get full time benefits. END OF STORY.
I don't like the "union" mentality of "quid pro quo"... You can take that and stuff it in your ass. If health care goes up, so should the employees share of the cost. Why should someone else foot the bill for a benefit that we don't get to use? All it takes is a little common sense.
And if you use the "we gave up pay for benefits" arguement, get over it. That was years ago and you are getting a raise this year, and next, and the year after that. Now it is time to pony up and pay your fair share.
Take your pity party elsewhere... We don't want to hear it.
"Oshkosh has a ton of 'industry' that pays mediocre wages and provides little in terms of benefits. It's the biggest problem facing this city."
These people working in these jobs are the people who pay the city workers wages and benefits.
"If you want qualified city employees to provide the SERVICES that make up 87% of the operating budget, you're going to have to pay them."
NO one is irreplaceable. If you are fired, someone will fill your job and no one will ever miss a beat.
" It IS appropriate for what they do, for the hours they work,"
11 Part time Library workers working half or 3/4 time still drawing full benefits. Over $1,000.00 a month in taxpayer funded healthcare benefits per worker alone...PLUS pensions and other benefits.
This is totally wrong!!
I have reached the point where I am ready to cut WAY back on my city provided services to get this problem under control!
If it takes eliminating jobs if the union won't cooperate, I'm ready to make those service cuts.
Go to bi-weekly trash pick-up.
Reduce library hours further.
Reduce labor in parks and forestry.
Our streets are horrible already, cut the road patching crew.
The point is if these unions keep thinking we tax payers are a never ending pool of money they can draw outragious healthcare benefits from they are saddly mistaken, and if it takes drastic service cuts (JOB REDUCTIONS) to make that clear to them, well I'm ready to put up with reduced services.
"I don't like the "union" mentality of "quid pro quo"... You can take that and stuff it in your ass."
That shows intelligence. Actually, it's you who can stick it where the sun don't shine. See, unions aren't going away. You don't have to like them, and you can drivel on about how only public sector unions do what they do, but they're not going away.
And quid pro quo? Same thing. You hate it. But it's not going anywhere! Law says it's there. Better start making some phone calls to get it changed. Good luck!
QUID PRO QUO
Which city department do you work in?
That would be a good place to start the job cuts!
No one is irreplaceable, not even someone in a union. Ask the 12,000 union workers at Chrysler. Quid Pro Out-The-Door.
Problem is you guys have been too sheltered. Never had to really worry about job cuts like those at Bemis, Kimberly-Clark, Oshkosh Truck, Hoffmaster, Leach Co.
That is what will eventually the your downfall.
Post a Comment